Training for Individuals, Communities,
Nonprofits, & Local Governments
Become Adaptable and Resilient
Get road-tested, affordable, do-it-yourself solutions for a changing climate that YOU can launch NOW!
Start today with ‘8 Steps to Cut Your Carbon Footprint 50%.’
You can participate in the training program solo, or do a group project with organizational teammates working on the same shared Climate Action Plan.
Questions? For more information, see the full course details or contact us.
Please Note:
This course is tailored for members of organizations like universities, nonprofits working with rural towns, or local governments.
We also offer tailored versions of this course for:
In this video, Tim gives a two minute summary on what this online workshop is for and how it works. In this program, working side-by-side with him, you will develop a climate action plan in 6 to 8 weeks. Mr. Magee is CSDi’s Executive Director, and the author of A Field Guide to Community Based Adaptation, Routledge, Oxford, England.
Mr. Magee is CSDi’s Executive Director and the author of A Field Guide to Community Based Adaptation, Routledge, Oxford, England.
Good morning, and welcome to How to Write a Climate Action Plan. You might ask, “Why write a climate action plan?” Here are some reasons.
Have you, your family, friends, or neighbors begun facing new challenges like drought, wildfires, flooding, or heat waves? Has your well run dry, and you’re having to truck in water now? How are these challenges affecting your rural community?
Are you wondering what to do to protect your family? Well, the solutions are here for you now. So, join us in this climate workshop. We will work one-on-one with you to help with Step One of your plan: listing your climate challenges and then choosing which ones are the most important to jump on first.
Then, in Step Two, we will show you tricks to finding solutions that are road-tested by other folks in situations like yours: affordable, do-it-yourself, common-sense solutions that have come from country wisdom and know-how.
Then, you will choose from your list the project that we will work on together. It might be an emergency plan for your family, choosing drought-tolerant plants for your vegetable garden, or planting shade trees to keep your house cool during heat waves. Or, you might choose to install solar panels on your roof. Your plan can be for your family, your farm or ranch, or for the small town you live in.
Whichever project you decide on, we will help you find out which solutions are going to do the best job for you. And, I have some good news: In our experience, frequently the simplest and lowest-cost solutions are going to give you the biggest bang for your buck. They should be the first jobs that you tackle.
Join us to create your own certainty in an uncertain world, and pick up new skills for protecting your family.
You can take this workshop solo at your own pace. Or you can take it with me in a more focused approach: you’ll be done with your climate action plan in six to eight weeks! During the workshop, you will also join a community of like-minded people that you can share ideas and stories with during our weekly group chat.
I’ve been working for 15 years with people from small communities developing climate action plans—and I love it. I can’t wait to meet you so that we can get started working together. I hope to see you soon. Thank you.
Do you work for a nonprofit interested in developing a climate action plan for a community?
Work with local community members to understand their climate challenges, needs, and personal interests and develop, fund, and launch a climate action plan. This is a hands-on course where you will get field experience solving challenges magnified by global warming and design a real, solution-oriented climate action plan in a real community. You will learn how to identify climate solutions for your community that have success stories showing a proven track record for solving your community’s climate challenges.
This program is perfect for nonprofit professionals who want to develop practitioner-level skills in developing local climate solutions. If you are a grant writer, nonprofit staff member, consultant, project manager—or executive director—you will develop real skills mastery. This course is just as relevant to a person considering a career transition into the nonprofit world and wanting to develop employable skills. Each hands-on, weekly assignment is one concrete building block for your new climate action plan. You will be provided with proven templates to edit into your own climate action plan. Your instructor will answer your questions and will give you a constructive, helpful consultation on each one of your assignments.
A new climate action plan cannot only protect your community, it can benefit your community through improving the environment, boosting the local economy, creating jobs, and developing energy independence.
Are you part of a local government wanting to find climate change solutions for a changing climate for building a stronger community?
Learn how to work with your community’s families, businesses, and civic leaders to design and launch a new climate action plan to prepare your community to be climate-ready. You will learn how to identify climate solutions with success stories that have a proven track record for solving your community’s climate challenges. This course is designed to build your climate leadership abilities for advancing climate solutions in your community.
If you want to find solutions for challenges magnified by global warming, this training program will walk you through designing a climate action plan in a simple step-by-step approach. Each hands-on assignment is one concrete building block for your new action plan. You will be provided with proven templates for you to edit into your own plan. Your course instructor will answer your questions and will give you a constructive, helpful consultation on each one of your assignments.
A new climate action plan cannot only protect your community, it can benefit your community through improving the environment, boosting the local economy, creating jobs, and developing energy independence.
The resources include these templates to allow you to progress quickly:
The instructor-led course includes a complimentary PDF eBook of Tim Magee’s A Field Guide to Community-Based Adaptation (a $40 value).
The instructor-led course will provide one-on-one instruction in tandem with all of the downloadable course materials listed above. Your instructor will offer professional comments and encouragement for each of your assignments.
Each week we will have a group zoom meeting for questions and discussion.
Upon completing the course and all 6 assignments, you will receive a PDF Certificate of Completion.
Upon completing Write Your Climate Adaptation Plan, in next six week course you will use your climate plan’s design to develop the donor documents necessary to seek funding:
You will then have an introductory meeting with one of the traditional funding agencies that work with farmers and ranchers—such as the USDA.
Questions? For more information, contact us.
8 Weeks | Hands-On
This is a program on planning, funding, launching, and managing a climate change action plan with your community.
You will work hand-in-hand with community members in developing a plan to combat climate challenges due to global warming.
The program is designed to help both experienced—and novice—climate change planners create bold climate action plans that prepare communities for climate change. Weekly Zoom Chats will keep it real.
What is a climate action plan? In designing a successful climate change action plan you will:
Each week we will have a group zoom meeting for questions and discussion.
Click the “Questions?” link just below to see a full course syllabus.
Learn by doing. This climate change adaptation program is for actually launching a climate change action plan with a real community.
In 8 weeks you will design a plan complete with solutions for your community’s climate challenges.
This is in preparation for the second course of the program where you will develop a full set of donor documents to present for funding.
Course participants have helped communities in North America, Europe, Australia, and Great Britain be prepared for climate issues magnified by climate change global boiling:
The course will lead you through the design and launch of a similar, real climate change adaptation plan project in your local community.
Do you work in the Global South? This course is a better match.
This training program is led by a live teacher/consultant who will have weekly Zoom meetings with you and your classmates.
They will review each of your assignments and provide suggestions to make sure your outputs are actionable and fundable.
This course is also offered as a live workshop—perfect for staff or community members. Please contact us for more information.
$250 per team of up to three teammates.
Instructor-Taught Online
8 Week Program
This pricing includes up to 2 additional teammates may participate in the course and develop your climate action plan. Each participant has access to all course materials and resources. One group member will be chosen to submit the group assignments.
After enrolling, you will be sent a welcome email with login instructions.
Last Step: Your next step is to simply fill out the student information sheet to complete your registration.
INGOs: Are you with an international NGO working in the Global South? If so, this sister course is a better match for you: International Community Based Adaptation.
Climate Change Action Plan course resources include:
The instructor-led course includes a complimentary PDF eBook of A Field Guide to Community-Based Adaptation (a $40 value).
The instructor-led course will provide one-on-one instruction in tandem with all of the downloadable course materials listed above. Your instructor will offer professional comments and encouragement for each of your assignments.
Each week we will have a group zoom meeting for questions and discussion.
Certificate: Upon completing the course and all 6 assignments, you will receive a PDF Certificate of Completion.
Tim Magee is an internationally recognized climate scientist, researcher, mentor, and trainer who has over 15 years of experience in designing climate change action plans. Mr. Magee is CSDi’s Executive Director, and the author of A Field Guide to Community Based Adaptation, Routledge, Oxford, England.
What is Climate Change? What are the causes of climate change? What is global warming? Global greenhouse gas emissions caused by burning fossil fuels have led to extreme weather events, global temperature rise, sea level rise, and heat waves.
The United Nations has said that we need to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Climate inaction on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and methane emissions caused by human activities – causes of climate change – has created climate impacts such as rising temperatures and rising sea levels leading to a changing climate that has surpassed global warming and has entered a new phase where global temperatures are so dangerous as to now be renamed climate change global boiling.
Human activity and the continued production of global emissions and greenhouse gases have led the earth’s climate to enter an accelerating process of temperature rise. If we don’t take climate action to reduce very rapidly the production of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas climate change impacts will be irreversible.
Solutions:
The UNEP has a National Adaptation Plan program to assist member countries to write a National Climate Adaptation plan.
The two overarching objectives of the National Adatation Plan is to:
Other solutions include:
1. The New Agricultural Revolution
2. Regenerative Farming programs
3. Climate Change Mitigation
4. Climate Change Adaptation plan
5. Climate Ready Communities
6. Climate resilience plan
Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) is a program designed to educate volunteers about disaster preparedness and how to effectively respond to emergencies in their communities. This training equips individuals with the skills necessary to act as first responders in the event of a disaster when professional emergency services might be overwhelmed or delayed.
An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) outlines the necessary actions to take in the event of various emergencies. An effective EAP serves as a guide for individuals and organizations to follow, ensuring quick and organized responses to threats.
Emergency preparedness involves planning and training efforts to respond to unexpected disasters effectively and efficiently. It encompasses everything from individual family plans to community-wide preparedness strategies.
Community Emergency Response Training, well-structured Emergency Action Plans, and overall Emergency Preparedness are critical elements in fostering resilience within communities. By educating individuals and equipping them with the right tools and knowledge, communities can better respond to disasters, protect lives, and minimize the impact of emergencies. Preparing today ensures a stronger, safer tomorrow for everyone.
“I just want to take this opportunity to complement you on the practical ideas, knowledge and vast experience that you continue to share with us on each assignment. Many times your examples are the solution of choice for our community. I have been provided with constant support, practical solutions suitable for my project, feedback specific to our project submissions and unwavering encouragement.”
Gillian Primus
“Thank you for all your effort in putting together a great program and all of the program resources. Thank you for everything – for making this possible, for your guidance, and for your continuous optimism and encouragement. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you again in the next session.”
Wye Yee Yong
This program will work perfectly for creating a Local Climate Action Plan for your community whether you are a:
COMMUNITY
MEMBER
Are you a member of a community wanting to find climate solutions for building a stronger community?
NONPROFIT
ORGANISATION
Do you work for a nonprofit organization interested in developing a climate action plan for a stronger community?
TRIBAL
MEMBER
Are you a tribal community member wanting to find climate solutions for building a stronger community?
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
Are you a local government wanting to find climate change solutions for building a stronger community?
Are you a member of a community wanting to find climate solutions to global warming for building a stronger community?
Become part of the climate solution: Learn how to work with your community’s families, businesses, and civic leaders to design and launch a new climate action plan to prepare your community to be climate-ready. You will learn how to identify climate change solutions with success stories that have a proven track record for solving your community’s climate challenges.
Community Members
Benefits for Community Members
If you want to find solutions for challenges magnified by climate change, this training program will walk you through designing a climate action plan in a simple step-by-step approach. Each hands-on assignment is one concrete building block for your new action plan. You will be provided with proven templates for you to edit into your own plan. Your course instructor will answer your questions and will give constructive, helpful feedback on each one of your assignments.
A new climate action plan cannot only protect your community, it can benefit your community through improving the environment, boosting the local economy, creating jobs, and developing energy independence.
Do you work for a nonprofit interested in developing a climate action plan for a community?
Learn to prepare communities for climate change: Work with local community members to understand their climate challenges, needs, and personal interests and develop, fund, and launch a climate action plan. This is a hands-on course where you will get field experience solving challenges magnified by global warming and design a real, solution-oriented climate action plan in a real community. You will learn how to identify climate solutions for your community that have success stories showing a proven track record for solving your community’s climate challenges.
Nonprofit Organizations
Benefits for Nonprofit Organizations:
This program is perfect for nonprofit professionals who want to develop practitioner-level skills in developing local climate solutions. If you are a grant writer, nonprofit staff member, consultant, project manager—or executive director—you will develop real skills mastery. This course is just as relevant to a person considering a career transition into the nonprofit world and wanting to develop employable skills. Each hands-on, weekly assignment is one concrete building block for your new climate action plan. You will be provided with proven templates to edit into your own climate action plan. Your instructor will answer your questions and will give you a constructive, helpful consultation on each one of your assignments.
A new climate action plan cannot only protect your community, it can benefit your community through improving the environment, boosting the local economy, creating jobs, and developing energy independence.
Are you a member of a Tribal Nation wanting to find climate change solutions to global warming for building a stronger community?
This course is specifically for you: Write a Tribal climate Change Action Plan.
Learn to prepare communities for a changing climate: Learn how to work with your community’s families, businesses, and civic leaders to design and launch a new climate action plan to prepare your community to be climate-ready. You will learn how to identify climate solutions with success stories and that have a proven track record for solving your community’s climate challenges. You will be using your community’s expressed needs, interests, and traditional knowledge as a basis for identifying solutions: Your community members are already leaders on climate solutions for your tribal lands because they possess the knowledge of your land and culture.
Tribal Members
Benefits for Tribal Members:
If you want to find solutions for challenges magnified by climate change, this training program will walk you through designing a climate action plan in a simple step-by-step approach. Each hands-on assignment is one concrete building block for your new action plan. You will be provided with proven templates for you to edit into your own plan. Your course instructor will answer your questions and will give constructive, helpful feedback on each one of your assignments.
A new climate action plan cannot only protect your community, it can benefit your community through improving the environment, boosting the local economy, creating jobs, and developing energy independence.
Are you part of a local government wanting to find climate change solutions for a changing climate for building a stronger community?
Become part of the climate solution:
Learn how to work with your community’s families, businesses, and civic leaders to design and launch a new climate action plan to prepare your community to be climate-ready. You will learn how to identify climate solutions with success stories that have a proven track record for solving your community’s climate challenges. This course is designed to build your climate leadership abilities for advancing climate solutions in your community.
Local Governments
Benefits for Local Governments:
If you want to find solutions for challenges magnified by global warming, this training program will walk you through designing a climate action plan in a simple step-by-step approach. Each hands-on assignment is one concrete building block for your new action plan. You will be provided with proven templates for you to edit into your own plan. Your course instructor will answer your questions and will give you a constructive, helpful consultation on each one of your assignments.
A new climate action plan cannot only protect your community, it can benefit your community through improving the environment, boosting the local economy, creating jobs, and developing energy independence.
8 Weeks: What is climate change? Develop a real-life, local climate action plan template. What is a climate action plan?
Week 1. Complete enrollment, meet your teacher, and explore the course resources. You will then have the next 3 weeks for Assignment One.
Week 2 & 3. Conduct a climate change conversation with community members to understand their needs, personal interests—and strengths! What is global warming? What is climate change mitigation? Climate resilience.
climate adaptation?
Week 4. Clearly define your community and its overall climate challenge.
Week 5. Learn how to solve the challenge using locally-focused climate change solutions.
Week 6. Make sure your plan will work by checking that your climate solutions have success stories that show a proven track record.
Week 7. Assemble a detailed outline for a local climate action plan in preparation for a donor presentation.
Week 8. Share your project with your community and with a donor for feedback.
Then, enroll in Fund Your Climate Action Plan to develop a full set of donor documents:
Each week we will have a group zoom meeting for questions and discussion.
Please contact us with questions.
Astrid Grigsby
Farmer, West Virginia
This course was the catalyst for me connecting with my neighbors to look at climate resilience in our community. Without it, I wouldn’t have started the conversations I did and worked to build out a local climate project that everyone was excited about.
I am SO grateful to have started these conversations: wonderful, hopeful conversations with neighbors, community members, and potential partners over the last two weeks. I made several awesome new connections because this course made me start these conversations in an organized way, and I feel more connected to the people on Peters Mountain who have shared concerns and hope for how to adapt to our changing climate.
I spoke with Kathy Emery from WV’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), who is currently helping solidify a list of potential funding sources on a federal and state level based on her experiences with similar projects. I am meeting with her again later this week to go over project specifics.
I also spoke with local farmer Rhonda Dortch, who has received grant funding for her livestock watering project at her own farm and has offered assistance and editing help as I reach out to funders and partners.
From encouragement during the course to approach a donor, I made an appointment to speak with Richard Miller, WV Emergency Management Program area emergency management director, and now have my course-generated donor materials ready to share my project details with him.
Thank you, Tim!
“Thank you for all your effort in putting together a great program and all of the program resources.
Thank you for everything – for making this possible, for your guidance, and for your continuous optimism and encouragement.
I look forward to the opportunity to work with you again in the next session.”
Wye Yee Yong
Nonprofit Project Manager
Gillian Primus
Agricultural Extension
Use our resources to discover your own sustainable climate solutions. Together, we can make a difference in our communities and beyond.
CSDi is pleased to announce 12 full scholarships for
How to Write a North American Rural Climate Action Plan. Learn More.
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